[Drkannant]

Hi to all BHPians,
I am Dr. Kannan, a consultant Emergency Physician from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu India.
I have a 1955 fiat 1100 millecento for the last 50 Yrs, which my dad bought as 2nd hand from west Bengal army officer in 1963. My dad is the second owner. In the last 50 years he had the car so close to his heart that he valued as more than any thing in this world, true to what i say, he died in a road traffic accident last year when he went to pay the 'road tax & insurance for his fiat beauty.
So in his remembrance i decided to restore our Fiat and continue to have it and preserve it at its best till i breath my last, so that my dad's soul will rest in peace that his "first Love " is in good hands and is being taken care of.
my Fiat is older than me, she(want to refer her as "SHE" as my Fiat was like a mother to me ) was one of our family member before i could be one. Have lots fresh memories about her I went to school in it, learnt driving in it, and also went to work in it after i became a doctor,she saw me grow.
Will post few pictures of my car along with my dad in 1963 & a recent one taken few months before he died.
Pictures of restoration will follow later.
I also want the guidance & help from all the BHPians in restoring my car. I have been on the look out for some parts like the air filter, rear view mirrors, wheel hubcap clips, yellow -gold horn button, new aluminium door handles, hand grips etc. John A milne one of our colleague had started a new thread about my requirement. hope u can direct me or give me the contacts from where i can get these stuffs thanks. Hope to enjoy my TEAM BHP ride in my 1955 FIAT 1100 MILLECENTO.

[Drkannant]

Pictures of my car with my Dad when he bought it in 1962-1963 and another picture taken few months before he passed away last year. The other pictures are when he went for a vintage car show in 2011.

[Drkannant]

Did go through the other threads regarding restoration , got lots of new information and few new contacts who could help me in sourcing parts.Thanks.
Here are few pictures of my car prior to restoration.

[Drkannant]

Originally Posted by Drkannant

Did go through the other threads regarding restoration , got lots of new information and few new contacts who could help me in sourcing parts.Thanks.
Here are few pictures of my car prior to restoration.

Hi Guys,
was a very eventful few last days. Did get some valuable advice on restoration from President Ront, Mr Sonu, voyager, Mr.Prashanth. Thanks a lot mate.
Some pictures of my car restoration in progress, Please advice. Thank you.

[Drkannant]

Originally Posted by Drkannant

Hi Guys,
was a very eventful few last days. Did get some valuable advice on restoration from President Ront, Mr Sonu, voyager, Mr.Prashanth. Thanks a lot mate.
Some pictures of my car restoration in progress, Please advice. Thank you.

Hi my car has just finished of being scrapped to bare metal, i will get its primer coating tomorrow. will post the pictures soon.

Managed to procure the following parts in the mean time.

1. New steering wheel
2. Hubcaps
3. Original millecento dash board emblem
4. Internal roof lights
5. Front and rear windscreen rubber beading
6. new front windscreen glass and all four door glass
7. Front and rear windscreen aluminium beading
8. Rear view mirror
9. 4 rims
10. New tail lamp lenses
11. Front Grill

Still some more parts to procure, of course with the blessings and help of fellow Fiatians.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Classic Car Section. Thanks for sharing!

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Drkannant - as a mark of remembrance and respect for your dear father, I will help you in all ways possible.

On wheel rim correctness, what you have is from the super select 1964 model. Your model did not come with the slots on the periphery. Please do not try to correct by welding metal pieces etc, the dynamic balancing will get spoilt. Please use them as they are, they are very precious and rare to find.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[harit]

I am not a Fiat expert (no kidding) and would ask experts to comment on the headlight and bumper. I feel that larger headlights have been fitted, bumper is not original though the guards may be.
All the best. Also think of a suitable colour scheme.

Cheers harit

[Karthik1100]

All the very best Doctor for the Mille's restorations. Lets pray for an excellent outcome.

I was just wondering, in the first pic(b/w) posted, how come the number plate had black letters on a white board for a private car?

[manishalive]

Doctor, can you please post pictures of the interior roof light coming on the c pillar the rear seat. I am looking for a set for my car for a long time.

And all the best for the resto. The wheels and the hubcaps are not period correct but the fun is in enjoying the car, you can modify these rims to look like 55, one guy jai Kumar in Chennai did that.

And there will be a lot of takers for the hub caps if they are original.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by Karthik1100

All the very best Doctor for the Mille's restorations. Lets pray for an excellent outcome.

I was just wondering, in the first pic(b/w) posted, how come the number plate had black letters on a white board for a private car?

Good catch karthik , it looks like it was a taxi converted to a private car later as the colour scheme too reflects that ,not clear though since it is a black and white pic .

Prashanth

Originally Posted by harit

I am not a Fiat expert (no kidding) and would ask experts to comment on the headlight and bumper. I feel that larger headlights have been fitted, bumper is not original though the guards may be.
All the best. Also think of a suitable colour scheme.

Cheers harit

The headlights have been altered to the 7 inch ones , common to almost 90% of the millecentoes which have been in regular use.the fender will need to be chopped down to about 3/4 inch overall after taking measurements from an original car . The bumpers look original to me .

Prashanth

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by Drkannant

Pictures of my car with my Dad when he bought it in 1962-1963

Good to have a pic. of how the car looked originally! But how come it has a white numberplate in this pic.?? Private plates were black with white lettering then. Or has the photo been altered?

[Drkannant]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Drkannant - as a mark of remembrance and respect for your dear father, I will help you in all ways possible.

On wheel rim correctness, what you have is from the super select 1964 model. Your model did not come with the slots on the periphery. Please do not try to correct by welding metal pieces etc, the dynamic balancing will get spoilt. Please use them as they are, they are very precious and rare to find.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Dear Behram, thanks for the information. will not alter anything on rims will use as it is. Just today came to know about you from a friend who is following the BHP threads and who happen to read my thread. He said that u once held a senior post in the Fiat and then moved over to Mahindra. He also told me about your vast automobile knowledge and the extraordinary driving skills u have. I should be very lucky to have you looking upon on my restoration and guiding me through it. Thanks Mr. Behram

Originally Posted by harit

I am not a Fiat expert (no kidding) and would ask experts to comment on the headlight and bumper. I feel that larger headlights have been fitted, bumper is not original though the guards may be.
All the best. Also think of a suitable colour scheme.

Cheers harit

Hi Harit , you are right the head light has been changed to the bigger ones and i am getting it corrected to original size. Frantically looking for the old lights. Am not very sure about the bumpers !

Originally Posted by Karthik1100

All the very best Doctor for the Mille's restorations. Lets pray for an excellent outcome.

I was just wondering, in the first pic(b/w) posted, how come the number plate had black letters on a white board for a private car?

Hi Karthik Thanks a lot for your wishes. You are right karthik I did hear that the car was used as Taxi for few years, I am not sure for how many years, I was not even born when the car was bought by my dad in 1962 - 63.

Originally Posted by Stanher

Good to have a pic. of how the car looked originally! But how come it has a white numberplate in this pic.?? Private plates were black with white lettering then. Or has the photo been altered?

Hi Stanher and Voyager i was told that the car was used as a taxi for few years . Non private cars did have a white number plate then.

[Drkannant]

Hi Manish, i got the roof lights from the US along with my steering wheel, hubcaps and dash board millecento emblem. As i said earlier I am yet receive them, its with my brother -in-law there in the US. Should get them by this month end, he is sending it across with a friend of his who is coming down to India. I have posted the pictures of them .

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by Drkannant

Hi Manish, i got the roof lights from the US along with my steering wheel, hubcaps and dash board millecento emblem. As i said earlier I am yet receive them, its with my brother -in-law there in the US. Should get them by this month end, he is sending it across with a friend of his who is coming down to India. I have posted the pictures of them .

Thanks, for posting pictures. I think the roof light is of a later model, super select and delight. I too have this but was told that a flat rectangular roof light came on elegent and selects, and I am not aware of what came on the millicentos or did they ever came with roof light.